Rotating Snowballs and Nine-Patches Quilt Along

SNOWBALLING

In January a group of us started a quilt along making 9-patches and snowballs. You can see the list of participants on the sidebar.  If you've been following along each month and making six blocks per month, by now you'll have 30 blocks with which to play!

I have 32, and will need to make four more by the end of this month.  Here's a picture of what I have so far (please keep in mind that I have not trimmed any of the blocks yet and this is not a final design).

I really like how this is turning out.


9 PATCH A DAY CHALLENGE

Nine-Patch Fever must be going around. Karen Montgomery of The Quilt Company is hosting a 9-Patch A Day Challenge that started on June 1. That means there's plenty of time for you to catch up.  Go to her blog at Karen Says Sew to learn more.  She also has created a group on Facebook for those of us participating.  It's a great project for using up scraps. I'm using 2.5" squares.

Here's the Facebook link:  

http://www.facebook.com/pages/9-Patch-Project/116885848345468?v=wall&ref=tshttp:

I decided to do a red, white, blue and tan version from my scraps.  I don't care about the motif or theme of the fabric, or whether there's a few other colors mixed in or even the value. My only goal is to use scraps and have them "read" Red, White, Blue or Tan from a distance.

These are just a few of the scraps that I'm starting with. There's even a piece of denim or two in the blue stack.  I actually cut about 200 squares total on Memorial Day.  Notice me in the corner of the table taking a much-needed break. Momcat will cut for hours, but I need a catnap every 5 minutes or so.

I sorted my cut pieces by color (putting the tans and the whites together), placing them in drawer organizers so that they'll be handy next to my sewing machine.  Any time I'm sewing anything, this can be my leader/ender project.  I picked up the tip about the drawer organizers from Judy Martin's Log Cabin Quilt Book. 

Karen's goal is for us to make just a block a day, understanding that we might really get going and make several at once. So far I've made three, one ugly on purpose to show you (really!)

Here's the two scrappy versions that I like.

And here's the ugly one. If you try to get too matchy (is that a word?) on these, they end up looking dumb. The scrappier the better. This one will be unsewn and the pieces all put back into the pile for picking.

TROUBLE'S HOME

A little over a month ago Trouble and Logan went to live with CatDaddy. Logan has adjusted really well, but Trouble never did. Momcat and CatDaddy decided it was best for her to come back to live with us. Usually when one of us has been gone, it takes everybody else awhile to reaccept them.

In this case, as soon as Trouble walked out of the cat carrier Butch and Sundance came to greet her. The three of them touched noses and apparently are going to live happily ever after together on the kitty condo. I'm going to let them stay in the crow's nest for now.  They all know that it's MY throne!

When Butch and Sundance came to live with us as babies, Trouble immediately adopted them even though she's never had kittens of her own. I think she was grieving for "her" babies and that's why she couldn't get used to her new environment. That's Trouble (with her head hanging down) and Butch up in the crow's nest, with Sunny on the shelf just beneath them.

I'm glad she's home. She's been my best student as far as quilt quality control. She's especially good about working her way into the midst of a quilt while Momcat does the binding.



PHILIP'S COSTUME.....

....won first prize at the costume party! His friends wanted to know where he purchased such a cool costume. Leanne, Philip's sweet girlfriend, came in 2nd place with her Jean Grey from the X-Men disguise.


About to reclaim my throne for awhile,
Piwacket

The Case of the Missing Case

A Posting from Linda:

I have a label maker, so obviously, I'm very organized. Okay, I have a label maker and I actually use it, so I'm organized.  I have a label maker, I use it and I put things back where they belong or else my entire world falls apart and I get into the fetal position and start sucking my thumb; organization is more than just a life skill for me - - it's part and parcel to my survival.  My spices are alphabetized. All my hangers face in the same direction, with the clothes separated by type. My lists have lists.

So where is my thread case, I'd like to know!  Naturally, it's not my only thread case. I have at least four containers of various threads organized by 1) color, 2) use, 3) manufacturer, 4) opened. Doesn't everybody do this?

So what happened to the plastic bin with thread, that also contains a couple of great cutters and a few notions? It's SUPPOSED to be right next to it's pal, but IT'S NOT THERE!

I discovered this last night when Philip called me from Joann Fabrics (I should have known the world was ending right then).

Philip:  You'll never guess where I am.

Me:      Okay. Then I won't.

Philip:   I'm at Joann's.
 
Me:      Joann who?

Philip:   Joann Fabrics.

Me:    You're at Joann Fabrics.

Philip:  Yep, and I'm here because.....

Me:      You're getting me a gift certificate!!
(Leanne laughing in the background)

Philip:    Um, no. Let me explain what's happening.

Me:       Your car broke down and you need me to pick you and Leanne up? Don't worry - - I'll be right there.

Philip:    NO! MOM! Just listen. I just need your advice and I need to explain this to you.


Me:       You need my advice about something from Joann Fabrics?  (I'm certain delirium is setting in since I've had food poisoning for 48 hours. Ahhh, nature's cruel sense of humor. How many times have I wished for my heterosexual offspring to call me from a fabric store and ask my advice. And now I must be having auditory hallucinations.)

Philip:    Yes, I need your advice about what thread to buy.

Me:        You need my advice about what thread to buy at Joann's.

Philip:     Mom, you have to stop repeating everything.  Will you let me explain what's going on?

Me:        Sure. Who's stopping you?
(Leanne still giggling in the background.)

Philip:     Kate's birthday is coming up and she's throwing a combined party for herself, Josh and another person whose birthday falls right around that date. And Kate being Kate, she's decided on a themed costume party.

Me:        Oh boy. (Said as in the 'oh boy are we in trouble' tone of voice.)

Philip:      Yeah, and you know I hate that kind of thing but it's for Kate and Josh so if I'm going to do this I want to do it right. And I have the four yards of fabric that I need, I just need to know do I buy a large spool of thread or a small one?

Me:        (Isn't that the cutest thing. He thinks thread type depends upon what size the spool is.) Philip, I have any color and type of thread you need. Just bring your fabric home and we'll find the right thing.

Philip:     I don't know. It's a pretty strange color and there's only one thread here that comes close.

Me:        (Oh my goodness I couldn't love this precious boy any more than I do!) Honey, it's okay. Joann's is five minutes away, but I bet I have whatever you need. Besides the seams will be on the inside anyway.

Philip:    I don't even know what that means. But you can explain it to me when you teach me how to sew on your machine.

Me:       (Can you believe the nerve of this kid - - thinking he's going to touch MY friend?) You, Mr. Fidget, are not touching my $1200 sewing machine.

Philip:     Well, I didn't want to make you feel like you have to do this. It's my project.

Me:        (Dear Lord, it's the science fair all over again.)  Just bring your material home, honey.

Philip:     Mom, I know you've been sick with the food poisoning, but Leanne and I are stopping at Wendy's. Do you want me to pick anything up for you?

Me:     (What a lovely young man. So thoughtful and sweet.)  Thanks honey, but I don't feel up to eating anything yet.

Philip:    Not even a Frosty?

Me:       (What, is he Satan? Tempting me with a Frosty when I can barely visualize one without having to run to the bathroom? Whose kid is this anyway?)  No, sweetheart, but thanks.

About 15 minutes later they arrive home, finish eating, and join me upstairs for some creative input.

Philip is so excited to show off his purchases. And I can't explain it all here just on the one in 8 billion chance that one of his friends might be kidnapped and forced to read this posting. Suffice to say, he has a cool costume idea.  And as soon as I saw his fabric I knew that I had thread to match. 

We went into the sewing room and I grabbed ...WAIT! Only one of my side-by-side containers of thread? I open up the one I have, immediately produce the proper color ("Wow!" says Philip. "That's a better match than what we found at the store.") but start hyperventilating about my lost case.

I simply can't fathom where it is. I look under the bed and under other containers. Philip wonders if I took it downstairs at some point to do some mending. I start questioning whether I took it with me on vacation. All negatives. I simply do not lose things like this. I'm ready to put out an APB. Maybe Maggie could do a search and rescue. 

The only scenario that makes sense to me is that a marauding band of home invaders entered our house and couldn't find anything worthwhile to take until they got to the sewing room.

"Dude, that's Aurifil's China Beige!"

"I see some Sedona Rust, too.  And some Bottom Line."

"Man, I need me some Bottom Line, if you know what I'm saying."

And off they went. I realized if nothing else, it would make a good story for you. So I gathered some spools from my other spots to create the picture for the top of this post. What to set the spools on for a cute picture though? The little quilt I keep in the sewing room to cover my machine. Which was on the floor next to my machine.

I lifted up the quilt to find this.  Right where I'd left it. My missing case of thread, cutters and notions. Right next to it's buddy. While I was getting ready for vacation I pulled some things together at the last minute and rushed out the door. I've been using my machine faithfully, but left the quilt where it lay on the floor.

   
My world is all sorted out again. I don't even wanna know the street value of my large spools of variegated King Tut.

Obsessively yours,
Linda

Travels are Done!

Momcat and Philip are home! They had an eventful week.

The day before they were scheduled to leave Philip went to the urgent care to see about a horrible rash that Benadryl and Cortaid weren't helping. They diagnosed him with a staph infection (YIKES!) and weren't happy that he was going to be traveling for the next five days. The three doctors that they called in said that he'd have to be in long sleeves and long pants for the entire time. He received Rx for steroids and antibiotics.

His system responded well, but the trips to do a lot of outside things such as going to the beach were canceled.

Just today, the creeping crud started back up with a vengeance so he sees the primary care physician tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. Prayers please! Considering Philip just has two classes to finish up before graduation in December, we really don't want a health matter to alter his schedule, much less all the other things that occur as a result of staph.



Here's Darren and Philip in the hotel room (which was only about 2 minutes away from Darren and Nicole's beautiful apartment). Boy, does this bring back memories of two little boys with their heads together playing an electronic game!


And Philip knows exactly that's what Momcat is thinking!


They all walked from Darren and Nicole's apartment to one of their favorite restaurants, the Elephant Bar and Grill. Philip took this shot of Nicole, Darren and Momcat (Linda). Momcat's hair is certainly showing the aftermath of a warm walk!



Another restaurant patron was kind enough to take this group shot of Momcat with her beloved kids.

There was a quilt shop visit in the travels as well! More on that in tomorrow's post, plus an update on poor Philip's health.

Purring to have my family home,
Piwacket

It's a Christmas Miracle!

We don't hate Christmas Ribbons anymore (although we continue to believe the pattern name is a misnomer). After taking it to the shop, Jan recommended adding this green 5" border. What a difference it makes! It's our own little Christmas miracle.


The shop will finish it and use it in a Christmas display, then sell it at the end of the year during the sample sale.

Some of you were so interested in sparing Momcat's feelings that you were hesitant to come up with some humorous labels. Other than mine (which are the best ones, of course), I must say that I love Jennifer's "Ho Ho Uh-Oh" as well as Mockenrue's "I Can't Hear You Over This Quilt." (BTW, Mockenrue is Philip, Linda's son).

We thought with this top done we'd be able to start working again on some of our personal projects, or at least start cutting the scraps necessary for Bonnie Hunter's workshop (Momcat is attending two of them in Indianapolis this month!)

But then this happened.


The Christmas fabrics and Triangles on a Roll are for another shop sample which needs to be a finished top by the end of this week at the latest. Good thing Momcat's off work on Tuesday and Thursday this week. And wait until you see the name of the pattern that she's using.....



Don't you love it when God laughs! This "Christmas Ribbons" pattern was written by Jan Doench, the owner of Best Friends Quilt Shoppe. I'm certain we'll be very happy with this top from the get-go.

Piecefully yours,
Pi

Home with a Finish

We are all so glad that Momcat decided to return home a couple of days early from her vacation. She started feeling guilty about leaving Philip and me to take care of everyone else. You can see by this picture that we were not happy campers while she was gone.



She's told me a little bit about her trip, but mostly today she's been cleaning and unpacking. Momcat did say that French Lick is a lovely, quiet spot to visit, especially if you're not into the casino or bar scene. She and Jill stayed on a hill above the casino resort, but you'd never know there was traffic below. Every morning she took her coffee out to her private, wooded deck and listened to the birds.

She and Jill were lucky enough to be visited by a raccoon. And Jill had a chance to see a red fox in its natural habitat. Not to mention the ginormous crunchy beetle in the condo who wanted to inspect the thread. Man, I wish I had been there for that. A living plaything is always a blessing.

There will be more posts to come, with pictures. As for now, she does have one sample she completed for the shop.


This is called "Sweet Dreams." I love it even though I didn't get a chance to give it my quality control stamp of approval.

The other two store samples are still in progress, and nothing was done about her personal UFOs.

On the other hand, in an upcoming post you'll get to hear more about shopping trips to quilt stores and Amish country.

Here's Maggie's reaction to Momcat's vacation. She's trying in vain to pull off the luggage tag in the futile hope that Momcat will never, ever leave us again. And yet she hedged her bet by making sure that her bone was put in the suitcase on the off-chance that she'll be able to come along on the next trip. Ha! You'll soon learn, Dawg.


Taking a nap with my Momcat on the sofa. Do not disturb us,

Piwacket